Health-related quality of life assessment in people with multiple sclerosis and their family caregivers. A multicenter study in Catalonia (Southern Europe).

Objectives: To measure the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and their caregivers, and to assess which factors can best describe HRQoL.

Methods: A cross-sectional multicenter study of nine hospitals enrolled MS patients and their caregivers who attended outpatient clinics consecutively. The instruments used were the SF-36 for patients and the SF-12 and GHQ-12 for caregivers.

[Listening to the voice of the patient: an imperative. 2008 SESPAS Report].

To democratize health services, citizen participation should be free, informed and involve choice. To achieve this, a formal and public system of health services' evaluation is required. The present article aims to argue the need to promote the participation of patients and persons affected by disease to achieve greater democratization of health services and improve the effectiveness of healthcare.

[Nursing based on affectivity].

Besides the organic disease, there is another emotional disease and also another latent social disease in an ill person and in his/her environment. This emotional disease is determined by the psychological stress caused in the persons suffering a disease and in his/her relatives. To that disease, often a social disease is added.